Her Protector
by VirginaBlueBelle
Summary: Her friends don't seem to notice or care, so why is Severus Snape opening his eyes to what's happening? Re-write of The Need To Protect. Mentions of abuse & a cause of slight physical abuse in the first chapter. Other warnings inside chapter 1
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this story is not a new one from me. It is merely a rewrite of The Need To Protect.**** As I tried to edit the story, I just felt that the first chapter was too in your face & didn't really ease you into what happened. I also felt that the original progression of the story was too juvenile in the writing. I felt like I was reading something that I had written when I was fourteen or fifteen. So hopefully you all enjoy this version better. Not much will change in this version. So far the only change is Hermione's attacker, when Severus finds out something isn't right with her, also when her friends find out about what has been happening to her. I will also be taking out the bit about the potion and his need for revenge due to the War. This is more a man-child that feels slighted by Hermione and his ego can't allow a "lesser" being aka a woman, do that to him. Since I'll be using the original story as more of a guideline/suggestion box, chapters and updates will not be on top of each other as they were with the editing of Professor's Pet so please bear with me on this rewriting journey.  
><strong>_Disclaimer: This story contains mentions/suggestions of sexual assault and mentions/views of physical abuse. Please, if this is not something you prefer to read, or will bring something from your past/present to the fore front, don't read. I don't want anyone to have flash backs or a hard time with this story.**  
><strong>_**Copyrights of characters, places, & any other recognizable themes from Harry Potter all belong to JK Rowling.**_**  
><strong>_

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><p><strong>Chapter<strong>** 1**

She stood there in the middle of the hallway as student after student passed by her. Not one asking what was wrong. Not one stopping to figure out why the brains of the Golden Trio was standing in the middle of the hallway outside potions with a vacant look. Not even her best friends noticed her paler skin, her smaller frame that seemed to be shrinking everyday, not even her teachers noticed anything strange about her. She kept up in her classes, whether it was class work or homework. But if she was honest with herself it wasn't up to par with what her usual schoolwork entailed.

"Stop trying to draw attention to yourself. Get your arse in class now before Snape realizes you're missing." She barely flinched at the tight grasp on her arm. He'd grabbed her so many times in the last month that it was as if her nerves had died. She felt nothing. "I suggest you do as I say the first time, or I will drag you to the heads dorm and give you a reminder of what happens when you aren't a good little girl and listen."

With that Hermione made the short distance to Potions with a few minutes to spare. She never thought she would be one to allow a man-child to treat her the way he did. She always believed that she was strong enough to fight back. After all she survived Bellatrix Lestrange's torture, survived the final war against He-Whose-Ego-Cost-Him-His-Life, helped keep Severus Snape, double agent, alive by calling on Fawkes to cry upon the wound at the mans neck.

But I guess when your innocence is ripped from you so forcibly and brutally, you stop fighting, you stop caring. You give up on all the bullshit of how people perceive you. Especially when your friends don't even notice that something is obviously terribly wrong with you, she thought. But than again, the boys finally get to be, well, boys for the first time since starting Hogwarts. Ginny was just happy that Hermione finally had a boyfriend but after finding out about the relationship, she stopped asking Hermione about it. The older girl wasn't sure if that was because Ginny was wrapped up in her ménage relationship with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy or because she was scared of what was really going on with Hermione's relationship.

Neither Hermione nor her controller noticed a set of dark brown, almost black eyes watching them from across the hall as he made his way to his classroom. He made a mental note to figure out why his Potions Apprentice was man handling the Gryffindor Princess and why said Princess was not skinning him alive for it. Something was not right and being the ever-observant spy, Severus Tobias Snape was going to find out what was going on and put an end to it. First, he needed to find out why her friends weren't doing anything to keep her safe. Something is definitely not right here, he thought as he walked into his classroom.

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><p>As Severus watched over his class he noticed that Hermione no longer sat in her usual spot between Weasley and Potter, or as he thought of them, the red-headed idiot and the-boy-who-lives-to-irritate. He had noticed at times she would sit with Draco, but that was when the idiot said something to piss her off, but now that he sat back and thought on it, her feisty anger was no longer apparent. It was as if it had shrunk like…like her frame! Severus was finally seeing all the things that the once overly excited know-it-all was trying to hide. Like the fact that she had deep bags under her eyes, glamours on her wrist, a frame that was becoming too small for the witches height.<p>

He also became aware that though she sat alone, she wasn't really alone. His apprentice, Cormac McLaggen, the only Gryffindor he'd ever taken on, was sitting and watching the Gryffindor Princess. He watched as Cormac sent a note to Hermione that caused what little light that was left in her eyes to disappear. If he hadn't been looking for it, he would have missed it. Yes, it's time to have a little chat with her friends, he thought, if being tortured by that crazy bitch, Bellatrix, didn't bring her down like this, than something is seriously amiss with her _relationship_ with McLaggen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All characters that are from the Harry Potter series, along with locations & other things recognizable to Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling.**  
><strong>AN: I was going to make you all wait until this weekend to get this chapter, but after discussing it with a friend I like where this is & I don't feel I'll be adding on to it when I get Chapter 3 written. That, I'm sorry to say, will be a long wait for you all, but hopefully when it is done the quality of it will make up for the wait. With that...  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Severus continued to watch Hermione the rest of the week but decided that he wouldn't talk to her right away. He wanted to see how his Godson, Harry, Ginny, and the others would help, if they would help. As far as he could tell, some knew and chose to do nothing, while the others were so oblivious they wouldn't see Lord Dumbass, excuse me, Lord Voldemort, if he was within an arms reach.

He had a strong feeling that the youngest Weasley had an idea of what was really going on, which set his blood to boiling. She was the only female friend Miss Granger had; the least she could bloody do was tell Draco! He thought to himself as he dismissed his class for the day.  
>As one set of students left, another set came in. This set of students included Ginny and Luna. Severus watched as Luna gushed to Ginny about Ron. Apparently Ron finally came up for air long enough to realize Lavender wasn't the right one for him. Severus was baffled, which wasn't uncommon when it came to the students. Their thought process seemed to lack any form of common sense. So as he heard Ginny give advice to Luna about her relationship, he couldn't help the sneer that took over his face.<p>

"Miss Weasley, fifty points from Gryffindor. See me after class." Severus locked eyes with her long enough to quell her of wanting to question the loss of points before turning to the rest of the class to give out the assignment for the day.

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><p>"You wanted to see me, <em>Sir<em>," Ginny said, failing to hide her dislike of the potions master.

"I want to know why you find it so easy to talk to Miss Lovegood about her relationship with your brother, but you fail to see what is going on with Miss Granger in hers," Severus paused, mostly for effect but to see if Ginny would try to say anything to contradict him. He wasn't disappointed.

"Whether or not I talk to Hermione about _her_relationship, is quite frankly, none of your concern. I'll have you know, her relationship is doing just fin-"

"Than please, by all means, enlighten me as to why she hasn't been eating? Why does she wear glamours like others wear jewels?" Severus could not believe this little chit had the nerve to lie to him! "Or how about the fact that she no longer sits near your group or interacts with her friends? Have you failed to notice, as well, that she has completely shut down emotionally?" At that Severus just shook his head and turned away from the young girl, heading toward his chambers. "Quite frankly Miss Weasley, I find your lack of concern towards your _friend_, Miss Granger, disgusting and reproachful. I hope for her sake, you and your _friends_pull your heads out of your arses and help her," Severus, though he could not keep the disdain from his voice when ever the word 'friend' pasted his lips, look back at the girl with a wary look, "Hopefully you all help her before it's too late."

"Too late for what, Professor?" Ginny asked, not sure she wanted to be right in what she thought.

"You already know, Ginerva, but if you need to ask… then, Merlin help Hermione, because no one else can."

"If you're so worried why don't you help her?" Ginny shot back with attitude. She didn't like that Severus was questioning her loyalty to Hermione. The truth stung too much for her liking.

"Because, I'm not someone she trusts enough to open up to." With that Severus entered his chambers and went in search of a bottle of Firewhiskey. Once again hoping to drown the images of a beaten down young woman that use to have a fire about her, a drive to better her self, a drive for knowledge. Much the same drive he had, had… that is until he sold his soul to the devil and the love of his life to a grave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters that are from the Harry Potter series, along with locations & other things recognizable to Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling.**  
><strong>AN: I was hoping to have this be longer than 633 words, but it's just too late at night for me. I will finish the rest of Ch3 on my Microsoft Word and post it on here as Ch4. I hope you all enjoy and remember R&R pretty pretty please with sexy Snape on top ;). Love you guys XoXo.**

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><p><strong> Chapter 3<br>**

What the fuck? Severus did an about face and headed towards the Heads dorm after hearing voices yelling. He couldn't make it out but it sounded like a couple arguing. Severus had no idea how thankful he would be that he turned around to investigate what was going on.

"Let her go you arsehole!" Ginny yelled, trying to pull Cormac off of Hermione.

"Back off," Cormac backhanded Ginny so hard he split her lip. "This is between me and my property."

"Please, Ginny, just go. I'll be fine, I promise," Hermione pleaded with her friend. She knew that if Ginny put up more of a fight that it would just make it worse for her.

"I didn't tell you, you could speak," Cormac turned back around and decked Hermione square on the jaw, causing her to pass out. "Now look at what you made me do! Fucking useless excuses for space!" He turned towards Ginny, deciding that he needed to show her, her place. Show her that she had no right to interfere with what he owned and how he handled his property.

"Confundo! Incarcerous!" Severus quickly called his patronus, saying a quick message, and then sent it off for Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pompfrey. Once he was sure Hermione was fine internally, he gently picked her up and laid her on the couch behind him. He turned to Ginny and quickly healed her split lip. "Now that that is over with. Would you care to tell my what the fuck is going on?"

"Well, I took what you told me to heart. She'd been fighting me tooth and nail about her relationship. When I noticed she would hold her ribs when she'd reach for something too quickly or to pick something up from the floor, I finally told her to stop lying to me," Ginny took a deep breath and faced Severus head on. "I asked her to show me where it hurt but she freaked out and started crying. I begged her to show me and she kept saying she was fine. I asked her to strip to show me it was true," She paused to take a deep breath again, she felt bad for what she did but she knew she had to. "When I saw nothing on her body, I called out 'finite incantatem'… Merlin's beard Professor… The amount of healing and freshly given bruises on her… how could she… how coul-" She bared her face in Severus's chest as he pulled her into a hug. He may be considered a heartless bastard but that didn't mean he couldn't understand her pain at realizing someone had been brutalizing her friend, brutalizing someone she looked at as an older sister.

"Okay, that's enough for now Miss Weasley. Once Professor Dumbledore and Poppy get here I'll call for Draco and Potter for you," Severus pulled back and helped her up and into the chair across from Hermione.

"Professor it was so frightening. I don't know how she did it. The way his face contorted into this horrible monster when he saw me helping her put her clothes back on. It was even more horrible than seeing Voldemort walking up to the castle with Harry 'dead'," Ginny shuddered with the memory.

"Just you wait you fucking whore! I'll punish you both for interf-" Before Cormac could finish his threat Severus sent a silencing charm on him along with a spell to glue his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"Don't worry, he won't be able to hurt you or Miss Granger," Severus said before turning to talk to Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pompfrey as they just entered the dorm.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I hope this chapter makes up for the shortness of the last. I'm going to try to get some more chapters written this week but I have scrapbooks that need to get done for the kindergarten classes I volunteer in, so no promises. Not to mention my hockey team is in the NHL Playoffs.**  
><em><strong>Disclaimer: All characters, location, &amp; other recognizable themes belong to JKR.<strong>_

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Hermione started to become aware of voices around her, but was too scared to move. She couldn't make out who the voices belonged to but could tell there was at least one male in the room. She prayed that Cormac wasn't in the room, that he had no idea there were people to see she was not okay. She couldn't handle anymore of his punishments.

"Professor, I think she's waking up," Ginny called out as she moved closer to Hermione's hospital bed. "Mia, sweetie, how are you doing? Do you need anything for your jaw?"

"No, Gin, I'm fine. I just need to get back to my dorm before Cormac gets ma- worried," Hermione whispered as she looked around her. Not only was Ginny there but a furious Ron, Harry, Draco, and Luna where there, with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. Be them stood the Weasley clan and to Hermione's horror, her parents. "Ginny, why is everyone here? I'm fine honest, I just tripped walking down the stairs and must of ban-"

"Enough! Mia, why didn't you tell us? Tell me? I could have gone to Severus and this could have stopped before it got to this point!" Draco couldn't stand seeing this broken girl. She wasn't that strong spirited girl that slapped him in their third year; she wasn't that strong girl that faced down his father, his crazy bitch of an aunt, and other Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. He wanted his friend back, damn it! "When I get my hands on that vile excuse for a man, I swear I'm going to show him how much I learned from the Dark Lo-"

"Draco, no. You know that won't change what's happen to our Mia. We just need to be here for her," Harry said, coming up beside the third member of his relationship and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we go for a walk? That way we can calm down a bit. The Professors and Weasley's are here, not to mention her parents. There's no way in hell that douche bag will get near her again," Harry turned to Ginny, "You know how to contact us if you need us right away. Love you baby girl."

"Thank you Harry. Draco, he's right. Go blow of some steam on the Quidditch pitch or something. I'll get you both if something changes. I love you both," Ginny hugged and kissed them before turning back to Hermione.

"Little girl, why didn't you tell me? You know your mum and I would have been here to help you. Hell the Weasleys would have helped you," Mr. Granger said as he pulled a chair up to her bedside.

"I thought I could handle it, Daddy. I didn't want to worry you and mum, or the Weasleys. I took on Tom Riddle since I was eleven for Merlin's sake, I should be able to handle a Quidditch player," Hermione said somewhat defensively.

"Miss Granger, this isn't something that you ever needed to handle alone. Misters Potter and Malfoy would have stepped in for you," Professor McGonagall said, shocked at her top student felt she couldn't, or shouldn't, lean on anyone for help.

"Bloody hell, Mione, you know I would have helped you out," Ron held his hand up and Hermione opened her mouth to protest, "Forget about the break up and Lavender and all that. You were in serious trouble, love. I would not think twice to come and help you. You've been there for me when I've been a total prick and you've been there for Harry no matter what. We will always do the same for you," Ron walked up to Hermione's bed and kneeled. "Promise me, Hermione, look me in the eye and promise me that if Cormac or anyone else ever causes you problems you come get me or Ginny or anyone in our little family. We protect each other. Always."

Severus stood back and watched as Hermione realized that she really was loved, that whatever Cormac had drilled into her brain was starting to lose its foundation. "Miss Granger, you know that no matter what you can come to me. Why didn't you? I could have easy made him disappear. All I had to do was end his apprenticeship," Severus couldn't understand why she hadn't come to him.

"I… I couldn't. Please don't ask me why, just trust me when I saw that it was more important to not go to you, than to keep him from hurting me," Hermione said, her eyes tearing up as she refused to make eye contact with him.

"Mia, why couldn't you go to him? What happened?" Ginny was tired of letting Hermione push them away when they tried to help her. She wasn't going to let it happen anymore.

"Ginny, he's been arrested, he can't hurt me anymore. Just let it go," Hermione pleaded with Ginny, she didn't believe what she said, but she'd say anything at this point to get them to drop the subject.

"Bullshit! You don't believe that anymore than I do," Ginny was getting royally pissed off. Why won't she open up to us? Why won't she let us help her? Ginny's thoughts were just one question after another.

"Please, Ginny, it's nothing," Hermione pleaded with her again, wanting her to stop.

"He threatened someone you care about didn't he?" Everyone's heads turned to look at Severus, surprised that they hadn't thought of that. "Your parents? Ginny? The boys?" Hermione shook her head at each suggestion, which left him confused. He knew she wouldn't be worried about Albus or Minerva, or the Weasleys. Hell ever since Molly killed Bellatrix, no one fucked with the Weasleys, he thought to himself. "Did he threaten to hurt… me?"

Once again everyone turned there attention to him, Albus's eyes twinkled with the knowledge that he picked up from what was being said and not being said, but Severus looked at no one but Hermione.

"Please, please just let it be. Leave it alone, leave him alone," she paid no attention to the tears streaming down her eyes as she pleaded with Severus to not go after Cormac for any reason. She couldn't lose him; she came too close to losing the man she foolishly loved. He may not know her feelings, he may not return them but that didn't stop her from loving him and that meant she couldn't let him do something foolhardy that would cause him to be seriously injured or killed.

"Why do you care if Professor Snape hurts Cormac, Mia?" Ginny asked, completely confused by her friends behavior.

"It's not me hurting him that she's worried about, Miss Weasley. She's worried he will do serious damage to me or kill me," Severus answered for Hermione. When he saw the shock in her eyes, he realized that there was more than concern for a favorite professor or mentor, but fear and concern for someone the heart truly cares for.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for me to update. Work, love life, & other real life crap has been at the forefront of my days the last few months. Just a quick little reminder, this story is a rewrite of The Need To Protect, HOWEVER, this is a rewrite with a new plot/story line/ect. so please don't expect everything to be the same, such as a quick hook up between our two characters.**  
><em>Disclaimer: All notable characters, places, spells, ect. belong to JK Rowling. No copyright infringement intended. Just taking the characters out for a spin.<em>

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><p>Hermione stayed in the hospital wing for a week and she hated every second of it. But not for the usual reason a brainy student would hate it. She wasn't missing the classes, class work, or homework. Her teachers or friends would come in with the day's class work and homework. Well, all but one teacher. She knew she shouldn't be upset by it or hurt, after all she was just a know-it-all swat of a girl.<p>

As Hermione made her way back to the Heads dorm she wondered what Severus was doing. Was he in the middle of lecturing a class? Was he hidden away in his private rooms? Or maybe his private labs? Could he be sitting at the Head Table finishing up his Sheppard's pie?

Severus was walking back towards his labs after eating his supper, his mind full of questions. Questions he wished he didn't have. He felt like his thoughts were inappropriate because the woman may be of age but she was still one of his students. What was she doing? Was she still in the hospital wing? Is she still worried about me? Why does she have an interest in me?

Both of them were so lost in their thoughts that they didn't notice the person of their thoughts walking towards them. Before either could do anything about it they walked smacked dab into each other.

"Why you bloody idiot! Why weren't you watching where you were going?" Severus finally stood up after untangling himself from his robes, not realizing that he had knocked over Hermione.

"I should asked the same of you, as if someone fresh from the hospital wing purposely walks into someone," Hermione bit back, not registering the voice as her Potions Professor. She felt bad for snapping but she couldn't understand why she was to blame for him not paying attention. She knew he was a bastard, but she was the one that just got released from the hospital wing after being beaten repeatedly for months.

"My apologies, Miss Granger. I did not realize you were the one to ran into me," Severus was snide as always, but he did feel a pang of guilt for knocking her over. "Why don't you let me walk you the rest of the way to your dorm?"

"I'm fine, but thank you professor," Hermione replied. She was in a foul mood now; she was hoping to see Severus before she started attending classes again but she didn't think he'd be so snarky to her. After all, she did what she could to keep him safe.

"Miss Granger, please? It's the least I can do after knocking you over and then getting snappy with you for it," Severus replied. He could practically hear the wheels turning in her head. Could see that he had hurt her feelings more than anything by his attitude. "I wanted a chance to talk to you in private anyway."

"That won't be necessary, Sir," Hermione began to walk past him acting as if he was nothing more than a first year who got lost on their way to class again. "Besides you had a week to visit me in the hospital wing where I was left to count the stones in the ceiling. Which I still haven't figured it out. Always managed to fall asleep after three hundred and ninety-four."

"Miss Granger, need I remind you who you are speaking to?" He couldn't believe this little swat of a woman. How dare she speak so towards me! He thought to himself as he rounded on her. "Do not think for one moment that just because you allowed your self to be beaten to 'protect' me from some arrogant arse gives you any right to be so blatantly disrespectful towards me."

"Oh does that make you so uncomfortable that it gives you the right to be disrespectful towards me? You air my personal reasons for what I went through as if it was your right to do so!" Hermione turned toward his, jabbing her finger into his chest. "I've been getting beaten and raped to keep you from being killed by rogue Death Eaters! I've been keeping my distance from friends and family to keep them from asking questions. I've been keeping him from hurting everyone I love! I'm sure Lucius and the Carrow's would love a crack at the traitor, so I guess I should have let him go about his business instead of trying to distract him!" Before Hermione could stop herself she slapped him hard across the face and ran. She paid no mind to where she was running, she just new she need to get away before she said much more. After all, Hermione was the only one to know that McLaggen was actually the son of the Carrow's.

Severus stood there, hand holding his left cheek. He didn't know whether to be mad at her for slapping him, or protecting him at the expense of herself. As far as he was concerned toward Lucius, Alecto, and her brother Amycus, bring it on. He knew the only reason they hadn't died in the war was because they ran like cowards. And one thing Severus was not was a coward.

With that thought in mind Severus finally followed Hermione. He was going to get to the bottom of why she wanted to protect him. He got a glimpse of something while she was in the hospital wing, which was why he had not visited like his colleagues. Severus wasn't sure if what he saw was truly how she felt or just because he had saved her and Ginny from the brute of a boy. Merlin knows the last thing I need is a simpering girl fawning over me because I'm now her "hero", he thought as he headed towards the Heads dorm.


End file.
